Tokyo  - Japan's semiconductor industry is to experience a major shake-up, as electronics companies Renesas Technology and NEC Electronics are considering to merge, a news report said Thursday.

The two companies were in talks and a deal is expected by the end of the month, the Nikkei, a business daily, reported. A merger, which is expected to go ahead by April 2010, would create Japan's largest chipmaker.

The move was to to ensure the companies' survival during the global downturn.

Tokyo - Japan's whaling fleet failed to achieve its target but still returned to port with the meat of 680 whales on board.

The fleet's mothership, the Nishin Maru, returned Tuesday to its home port of Shimonoseki in south-western Japan after the close of the Antarctic hunting season, media reports said Wednesday.

The fleet had aimed to kill 900 minke and other whales, but Japan's Fisheries Agency said the militant, US-based environmental group Sea Shepherd hampered the hunt.

Tokyo - Japanese markets extended losses Wednesday on the yen's advance against the US dollar. Investors were selling also because worries grew on the US economic outlook following weak retail sales reports in March.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average was down 74.33 points, or 0.84 per cent, to 8,768.35.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues declined 9.27 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 834.15.

Tokyo investors sold mainly export-oriented issues as the stronger yen affects Japanese firms' earnings.

Tokyo - Japan aims to gather 4 billion dollars in assistance over a two-year period from member states at an international donor conference on Pakistan scheduled for Friday, while planning to make significant commitment, Foreign Ministry officials said Tuesday. The host of the one-day conference hopes that 30 participating nations and international groups would donate 4 billion dollars over two years.

Tokyo - Japan signed an agreement Tuesday to offer Jordan assistance in developing nuclear power plants, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. The Japanese government agreed to help the Middle Eastern nation introduce nuclear power generation and guarantee non-proliferation of nuclear technology, the ministry said.

With Japan's support, Jordan is aiming to become self-sufficient in generating energy by 2030 and plans to begin operating a nuclear plant by 2017.

Tokyo - Tokyo's markets lost ground Tuesday as investor concerns grew about the US financial sector with bank results to be released this week. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 113.35 points, or 1.27 per cent, to 8,811.08.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 10.29 points, or 1.21 per cent, at 838.68.

Japanese investors sold shares after they became concerned about Goldman Sachs Financial Group moving to raise 5 billion dollars of additional capital.